Rock n Roll Bride - The ultimate guide for alternative brides

Top Stories

Taxidermy, Tattoos & A Cute Log Cabin: Kari & Bryce

Kat

October 10, 2012

Kari & Bryce choose Southern Alberta Pioneer Memorial Building, a beautiful log cabin situated, unbelievably, in the inner city of Calgary as their wedding venue. It's on a park ridge by Elbow River and provided a prime location that didn't feel like it was slap bang in the middle of an urban area. "We had the ceremony and reception at there", explained the bride. "Bryce and I lived in the same neighborhood for 5 years and we walked around there a lot. Once we found out that anyone could rent it out for functions, we contacted them right away about having our wedding there. By that time we had already been engaged for over 3 years, so we were happy that we finally found something that was right for us. It is spectacular! You can walk through paths just behind it along the ridge and it feels like you aren't in the city anymore. It is really quite perfect, and a fantastic price."
Read more...

An Eclectic Vintage & Bric-a-Brac Wedding: Emalie & Duncan

Kat

October 10, 2012

Getting engaged on the top of Toyko Tower in Japan in 2010, Emalie & Duncan's wedding was never going to be traditional. With a bride rocking mermaid green hair and a groom adding a much needed modern twist to the tweed suit, this couple wanted a wedding that screamed 'them'. A field in Cookhill, Evesham was chosen as the location and the pair were married outside, in front of a homemade giant heart shaped flower wreath.
Read more...

DIY Farm Wedding & the Wedding Photographer who Captured the Milky Way: Shirley & Waz

Kat

October 9, 2012

You've probably seen one of Shirley & Waz' wedding photographs before, because it went kinda viral. Remember the wedding photograph that captured the actual milky way!? Yeah that one... (and if you didn't - and where have you been? - it's at the bottom of this post). Anyway after wedding photographer Lakshal Perera published that image and everyone calmed down and people stopped squealing "PhotoShop!" (it wasn't by the way) every single wedding blogger on the planet (probably) waited with baited breath to see the rest of the images. And jeez I nearly fell off my chair when Lakshal emailed me to ask if I'd like to be the blog to share it... erm... let me think about that for like 2 seconds... HELL YES PLEASE!
Read more...

Gratitude

Kat

October 9, 2012

As this is my last Green Room post before I jet off to New York, I'm feeling a little apathetic. I'm sure I'll be coming home with a truckload of post-Blogcademy inspiration in tow but right now I'm just... tired. Keeping up with life and work, getting things organised before I leave, it all piles up and sometimes it can feel like it's becoming too much. I guess what I'm really trying to say is that I'm knackered and in need of a holiday. Badly. I can't be the only one who's feeling like this either. I guess it's a lot to do with the time of year, and if you work in the wedding industry you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. The Summer season can be rather mental all-round, and it's swiftly followed by the usual October wedding fair circuit and new collection launches... AKA it's exhausting.
Read more...

A Bohemian Mexican-American Wedding: Felicia & Ariel

Kat

October 8, 2012

Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Felicia & Ariel wanted to plan a wedding with a nod to their heritage as well as the place they grew up. The wedding was held at The Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, a non-profit education and research organisation, owned by the groom's parents. "As born and raised Austinites and the children of hippies, we knew from the get-go that we didn't want to have the 'usual' wedding," began Felicia. "Ariel and I both love being in nature and so it seemed like a easy choice to have the wedding at the site of his family's home and non-profit organization. We wanted the wedding to have a lot of color and reflect our passions and cultures. I'm Mexican-American and loved the idea of embroidered Mexican dresses for my bridesmaids, delicate papel picado banners, and bright paper flowers."
Read more...

A Festival & Picnic Wedding… in the Rain: Charlotte & Josh

Kat

October 8, 2012

Recently I dubbed 2012 the year of the festival wedding. I've been seeing them all over (particularly on my own blog's pages!) and loving it. I used to be a huge festival kid. I live in Reading and we have a pretty famous rock festival every year, so I've always been a bit of a fangirl. I have fond memories of dancing til dawn, getting soaking wet in the rain and not giving a damn and waking up in stranger's tents ...(I'd like to point out this was before Gareth by the way!)
Read more...

Wedding Planning Advice

Non-Traditional Ideas That Actually Make Your Wedding Way Better

Guest Contributor

Leena Rose Photo

April 2, 2026

Having an “alternative” wedding isn’t about being different for the sake of it. It’s about crafting a day shaped around you and what you want it to look, and almost more crucially, feel like. If you blindly follow the formula, you end up with a timeline built around traditions you don’t question, photos you don’t even want, and a day that runs more like a production schedule than a party. It works, of course, but it isn’t always the right path, especially if you or your guests are neurodivergent.
Read more...

What No-One Tells You About Eloping (And How to Make It Still Feel Special)

Kat

Jenn and Pawel

March 23, 2026

For a long time, eloping meant running away to get married in secret. But today it usually means the couple have chosen to elope because they want a wedding that feels calm, intentional and focused on the two of them rather than the expectations of everyone else. Some elopements even include a small guest list (although these should more accurately be called micro weddings). But while elopements are often portrayed as effortless and carefree, there are a few things people rarely talk about when planning one. So, if you’re thinking about eloping, here are some practical things to know and simple ways to turn it into a meaningful experience rather than just a quick legal formality.
Read more...

Cheap Wedding Ideas That Don’t Actually Feel Cheap

Guest Contributor

Carlita Sari

March 18, 2026

A cheap wedding and a bad wedding are not the same thing. Some of the most joyful, memorable weddings cost very little money, and some of the most expensive weddings feel like a corporate conference with flowers. The difference is rarely the budget. It’s how couples choose to spend it. If you’re planning a wedding without a huge budget, your goal probably isn’t to make everything as cheap as possible. It’s to spend money where it matters and skip the things nobody really notices anyway. Here are some genuinely cheap wedding ideas that still feel thoughtful, fun and completely intentional.
Read more...

Fear Comes the Bride: How Much of Ourselves Do We Lose When We Gain a Spouse?

Guest Contributor

Anna Captured

March 16, 2026

I’m like a wild stallion,” I hear myself say. “Frolicking through the forest.” I’m sitting in a sports bar. I’m 30 years old. I know nothing about horses. “And then one day a fence is built around the forest. And even if it were the biggest fence ever, and it was so big I would never even reach it to see it in person, I would still know it was there.” This is how I explained my aversion to marriage a decade ago, to the person I professed to love, who I’d been dating for four, and then five years. I would be trapped; the part I left unsaid.
Read more...

Las Vegas Weddings

Fun & Flirty Vegas Wedding at the Neon Museum

Kat

Jamie Y

March 2, 2026

Beth and Elliott, who travelled to Vegas from the UK for their wedding, described their day as “Fun, flirty, and so Vegas!” They brought some close friends and family members with them and treated the whole experience like a holiday. “Honestly, we just know what we like and ran with it." Beth told us. "We work so hard in our everyday lives we just wanted a big break. A day for us, about us and overflowing with love!”
Read more...

‘Til Death Do Us Punk

Kat

Christina Srorzah

January 26, 2026

Casey met Dwayne in 2005 while looking for a tattoo artist. Appointments turned into years of friendship. In November 2022, when they realised they were both single, Casey invited Dwayne to a local venue to watch a friend’s stand up set after a session. Sitting in the booth, he reached over, grabbed her face, and kissed her. “He said he’d been waiting to do that for a long time and we’ve been inseparable ever since."
Read more...

Tattooed Weddings

Halloween Party Meets Graveyard Gothic Wedding on a £1,500 Budget

Kat

Amy Davies

March 26, 2026

Chloe and Grant planned a fully themed gothic wedding, but their original idea looked very different. Like many couples, they started by mapping out a larger celebration and quickly watched the numbers climb. “Our original plans were going to cost almost £16k", Chloe told us. "We found it all very stressful so ended up cancelling everything. We went online and booked a registry office ceremony for £150 and didn't look back! We have zero regrets. I did my own make-up, made my bouquet, put together the decorations - everything! We didn't even have a photographer for the wedding itself, all the photos were taken on my Instax or by friends. The most important thing to us was to be married."
Read more...

Sunrise Lover’s Leap Elopement

Kat

Stag and Bird

March 17, 2026

April and Brandy married twice, both in ways that made sense for them. In July, under a willow tree in the garden of their friend and photographer Courtney of Stag and Bird, the couple made it official. By autumn, they decided they wanted a second day that marked the marriage in a different way. So, in October they drove four hours south from where they live in Kansas City to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Waiting for them were Courtney and her assistant Kendal, along with a loose plan to say some vows at sunrise at Lover’s Leap, a scenic overlook just outside the town.
Read more...

Tiny Gretna Green Wedding with a Jellycat Bouquet

Kat

I Love You Thirteen

March 11, 2026

Laura and Jordon married in the original marriage room at Gretna Green with 13 people present, including themselves. The day was intentionally small. The couple got ready together and walked from our hotel to the venue hand in hand. They also walked to the anvil together. "Jordon struggles with anxiety at times so being with me helped reduce a lot of nerves for him", Laura wrote. "We also only had 13 people including ourselves at the wedding and then wedding meal with no big evening do. We wanted the wedding to reflect our love and not put on a show.
Read more...

Gothic Weddings

Halloween Party Meets Graveyard Gothic Wedding on a £1,500 Budget

Kat

Amy Davies

March 26, 2026

Chloe and Grant planned a fully themed gothic wedding, but their original idea looked very different. Like many couples, they started by mapping out a larger celebration and quickly watched the numbers climb. “Our original plans were going to cost almost £16k", Chloe told us. "We found it all very stressful so ended up cancelling everything. We went online and booked a registry office ceremony for £150 and didn't look back! We have zero regrets. I did my own make-up, made my bouquet, put together the decorations - everything! We didn't even have a photographer for the wedding itself, all the photos were taken on my Instax or by friends. The most important thing to us was to be married."
Read more...

A Private Wedding at The Satanic Temple, Salem

Kat

The Witchtographer

February 17, 2026

Did you know you can get married at The Satanic Temple in Salem!? Ceremonies at their 'Little Black Chapel' are officiated by the temple's Ministers of Satan and the space is already decked out in a dark red and black colour scheme, complete with candles and flowers, so you really can just show up and get married with very little stress. That's exactly what Aimee and Joe, who got married in December, wanted. They could arrive, focus on the ceremony, and leave without having to manage logistics or guests.
Read more...

Photo Shoots

Woodland Witch: A Queer Love Story for the Lobsters for Life Alternative Wedding Fair

Kat

Marieke Maakt Foto's

December 2, 2025

The Lobsters for Life Wedding Fair in The Netherlands pulled in makers, creatives and couples from across Europe last month and gave us a look at how alt weddings are evolving outside the UK. We were so excited to be invited along and spent the day meeting vendors who are pushing ideas forward with real intention. If you missed it and you are planning something unconventional on European soil, this shoot brings that same vibe straight to you! Every look, prop and detail was created by vendors from the show and most of them work with couples all over the continent.
Read more...

Nosferatu Meets a Candlelit Western Wedding

Kat

Nick and Lauren

November 25, 2025

When Nosferatu flickered back onto cinema screens, Lauren from Nick and Lauren Photography left the theatre feeling inspired by the film’s shadowy beauty. “I was inspired by the cinematography used in the movie, and wanted to do a wedding shoot that emulated that same aesthetic, but without being vampire based,” she told us. “We decided to combine the elements of country meets alternative, and started joking about what Nosferatu's wedding would look like if it were in the West. Everything snowballed from there!”
Read more...

Electric Love & Neon Dreams at Camino Real Ranch, TX

Kat

Lomonico

November 20, 2025

This wedding shoot was a riot of neon lights. Born inside the restless brain of Brooke Conaway, founder of CAT HAUS Collective, she wanted to create something that was the opposite of boring and beige. With a Lady Gaga lookalike bride, she built this shoot as an act of rebellion - against conformity, perfectionism, and the wedding industry’s obsession with fitting in. “I’m not a traditional wedding planner,” she said. “I have ADHD, I’m plus sized, an advocate for LGBTQA+ and someone who has had to fight to ‘fit in’ including how to work with my chaos brain, not against it.”
Read more...